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Mental Health Budget Cuts

Mental health budget cut for first time in a decade - Andy Burnham response

Andy Burnham MP, Labour's Shadow Health Secretary, in response to reports that the NHS mental health budget has been cut for the first time in a decade, said:

"David Cameron has cut the NHS budget for two years in a row and we are now seeing the consequences of his broken promise.

"Under pressure, the NHS is reverting to its default position and relegating mental health to the margins. This is the wrong response. Even within a reduced NHS budget, the demands of 21st century living require that mental health is made a bigger priority.

"Ministers need to start putting their money where their mouth is. They must urgently send the clearest of signals to the NHS that mental health is a spending priority. Otherwise, we will fail to rise to the health challenges of the 21st century."